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Aswang Chronicles co-producer says Dingdong Dantes was the reason behind Lovi Poe’s refusal to join

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Maureen Marie Belmonte

<div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://push-data.abs-cbn.com/push/archive/features/2014/091614/UP/091614-lovi_main.jpg" alt="091614-lovi_main.jpg" width="305" height="290" align="center" border="0"/><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div>It seems that the tiff between the creators of <i>Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles</i> series and actress Lovi Poe and her manager Leo Dominguez is far from being over.</div><div><br/></div><div>Just a few days since a furious director Erik Matti ranted on his Facebook account about the refusal of Lovi to join the movie’s sequel <i>Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles 2</i>, the franchise’s co-producer Dondon Monteverde also took his own Facebook account in the evening of September 15 to post the signed contract of the actress and her manager and express his dismay about what they did.</div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="" alt="dondon.jpg" width="413" height="547" align="center" border="0"/><br/></div><div><br/></div><div>Recall that Erik cited on his post that Lovi supposedly didn’t want to continue working on the franchise because she will only be filmed for two days. Although Dondon’s post essentially corroborated Erik’s earlier rant he added a few more details, among them was another reported reason why Lovi backed out from the project.</div><div><br/></div><div>It has been previously mentioned by Erik that Lovi initially agreed to take part in the franchise but later on she supposedly demanded a higher rate which their camp took to mean that she really didn’t want to be part of the project.</div><div><br/></div><div>“After all these negotiations and making preparations for Lovi’s shoot, Erik Matti received a phone call from Roselle Monteverde informing him that Lovi does not want to be part of the project because she is uncomfortable working with Dingdong Dantes, whose fiancée, Marian Rivera, allegedly gave Lovi a cold shoulder,” he said.</div><div><br/></div><div>After hearing about the reason, Dondon says he swiftly sought Dingdong to ask about Lovi’s reason.</div><div><br/></div><div>“The first thing I did upon hearing about it was to call Dingdong and ask if it’s true, which Dingdong denied, saying that he and Lovi are even working together at least three times a week on a taping for a teleserye called ‘<i>Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real</i>,’” Dondon continued. “And even if what my sister, Roselle, claimed was true, haven’t Leo and Lovi heard of the word professionalism?” (continued on next page)</div><div><br/></div><div></div><div><br/></div><div>Even if Lovi hasn’t addressed the matter yet, she nevertheless found an ally with the members of the Professional Artist Managers, Inc. (PAMI) where her manager Leo was part of. The group of managers collectively expressed their support for Leo and Lovi and condemned the “social media tirade” done by the director.</div><div><br/></div><div>It appeared that this move by PAMI was actually the reason why Dondon was prompted to air his side on the matter when he started his post with, “I am surprised at how PAMI arrived at a consensus to support Leo Dominguez without even hearing our side of the story.”</div><div><br/></div><div>His disappointment was very much palpable when he underscored that they could have at least talked to them before “making any sweeping show of support with your member, Leo Dominguez.”</div><div><br/></div><div>He reiterated, “I hope that PAMI could have done their due diligence so that they could really make an objective judgment call as to whether they will stand behind or tolerate their member or be forthright with a strong sense of integrity to give a disciplinary sanction instead.”</div><div><br/></div><div>In the end, he echoed and expressed support for Erik’s post and even rationalized his “harsh” outburst.</div><div><br/></div><div>“What he said may be a bit harsh, but he has every right to his freedom of expression. To some, or to most even, it may be unpopular, but his honest, irreverent burst of anger straight from the heart, is something that I fully respect,” he said.</div><div><br/></div><div>Dondon says he would very much prefer being partners with someone who is “direct and truthful” than someone “who is politically correct, a hypocrite and dishonest, just like some of our industry colleagues that we hope we could change little by little, in this lifetime.”</div><div> </div><div><br/></div><div>Please read the entire post below: </div><div><br/></div><div>“I am not in the habit of posting my grievances on social media, but today I have to make an exception.</div><div><br/></div><div>Professional Artists Managers, Inc. (PAMI) released in one of their statements in support of their member, Leo Dominguez, against the Facebook complaint of my director, talent and co-producer in Reality Entertainment, Mr. Erik Matti, regarding the non-compliance of the contractual obligations of Lovi Poe.</div><div><br/></div><div>I am surprised at how PAMI arrived at a consensus to support Leo Dominguez without even hearing our side of the story.</div><div><br/></div><div>Once and for all, we will detail all the facts that led up to this issue.</div><div><br/></div><div>1. Lovi Poe and Leo Dominguez signed the contract of Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles including any sequel or prequel of the said franchise, as shown above.</div><div><br/></div><div>2. Leo Dominguez has confirmed Lovi Poe’s participation in the film three times.</div><div><br/></div><div>• First, with me through a conversation I had with Leo finalizing Lovi to reprise her role as Sonia, together with also getting the services of Isabelle Daza as the new leading lady of Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles 2 (who is also represented by Leo Dominguez).</div><div><br/></div><div>• The second time was when production already started getting schedules from Lovi Poe, which the handler of Leo Dominguez provided us for two shooting days, but with the condition that she will be called late in the set, and that she will be paid PHP 400,000.00 for her two-day appearance. A price we deem a bit too steep given that her previous contract, for at least fifteen days package fee is only PHP 200,000.00. With inflation and all, and the sudden change in rate card is really a way of saying no to the project.</div><div><br/></div><div>• The third time was when we already asked help from GMA Films through Joey Abacan. Joey was able to negotiate a lower fee of PHP 90,000.00 per day, which we deemed a fair enough amount for her services, thereby we accepted their demand.</div><div><br/></div><div>(continued on next page)</div><div></div><div><br/></div><div>3. After all these negotiations and making preparations for Lovi’s shoot, Erik Matti received a phone call from Roselle Monteverde informing him that Lovi does not want to be part of the project because she is uncomfortable working with Dingdong Dantes, whose fiancée, Marian Rivera, allegedly gave Lovi a cold shoulder. The first thing I did upon hearing about it was to call Dingdong and ask if it’s true, which Dingdong denied, saying that he and Lovi are even working together at least three times a week on a taping for a teleserye called “Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real.” And even if what my sister, Roselle, claimed was true, haven’t Leo and Lovi heard of the word professionalism?</div><div><br/></div><div>4. Wanting to still convince Leo that we badly need Lovi for continuity of Tiktik to Kubot, I called him up to see what else we can do to make it happen. But since then, after countless phone calls and text messages, he never answered back.</div><div><br/></div><div>This I think was the final straw with me and Erik Matti.</div><div><br/></div><div>As producers, we try hard to come up with the best film we could offer our viewers, deserving of their hard-earned money. For the Aswang Chronicles franchise, this is mine and Erik’s baby, and we are passionate about this, and only want the best that we can give in a film with the money we can afford.</div><div>I totally understood what Erik felt when he posted that Facebook complaint about Lovi and Leo. The Aswang Chronicles is blood, sweat and tears not just for me and Erik, but for everyone involved in it, including our co-producers Dingdong Dantes and GMA Films, and the actors that we’ve casted this time around. Maybe we just assumed that Leo and Lovi were just as passionate with the Aswang Chronicles as we are. But nonetheless, if it’s not for posterity’s sake, maybe they should just honour the contract, if we may be objective about it.</div><div><br/></div><div>For PAMI, whose members I look up to and respect (some of them are even close friends), we do wish you could have talked to us first and heard our side of the story before making any sweeping show of support with your member, Leo Dominguez. I hope that PAMI could have done their due diligence so that they could really make an objective judgement call as to whether they will stand behind or tolerate their member or be forthright with a strong sense of integrity to give a disciplinary sanction instead.</div><div><br/></div><div>As for the final words of Erik Matti that I do not wish to repeat again, I always put in perspective what I learned from the best. My mother, Mother Lily, is all heart when it comes to fighting for her passion and her right. Something wrong was done to me and Erik as producer and director. I totally respect the opinion of my friend, Erik. What he said may be a bit harsh, but he has every right to his freedom of expression. To some, or to most even, it may be unpopular, but his honest, irreverent burst of anger straight from the heart, is something that I fully respect. I’d rather have a partner that’s direct and truthful, than one who is politically correct, a hypocrite and dishonest, just like some of our industry colleagues that we hope we could change little by little, in this lifetime.”</div>